<b>NUDE</b>Ichiro Fukuic. 1930s$1,500</em>

Details

Ichiro Fukui produced woodblock prints, etchings, and oil paintings. He was associated with both Sosaku Hanga and Yoga (Western-style painting) groups. He actively exhibited his paintings at private salon showings as well as government back exhibitions.

This work is a charming nude produced in oil on a panel. The work dates to c. 1930. The painting depicts a seated nude. The woman is looking out to the left, away from the viewer. Her hand appears to be adjusting her short hair, which instantly identifies her as a Moga (shortened from modan garu or modern girl). Nudes such as this work found some controversy in certain circles. Government back censorship was on the rise during this period, and nudes were often criticized if the subject was not situated within a context where a nude would be expected, i.e., the bath or in a spa. The woman’s unmistakable modern hair and unapologetic nudity would almost certainly raise a few brows if not objections. 

Connoisseur's Note

This work is an oil-on-panel. The work is signed in the lower left as well as on the reverse. Greatly influenced by Western nudes, the artist often revisited the subject in a variety of mediums. Below is a woodblock printed advertisement for a Wester “Plein-Air Painting exhibition held in November of 1924.